2014 has been a good year for Microsoft’s mobile operating system Windows Phone. Not only has the operating system become more sophisticated — giving users more features with its software — but it also has managed to lure in the interests of more OEMs. Just this year, over two dozen smartphone makers announced their first Windows Phone-powered handsets. On Monday, an Indian OEM named Celkon announced Win 400, its first ever Windows Phone handset, and today, Lava, a very popular OEM in the country launched its first Windows Phone handset too. The Iris Win 1 is priced at Rs 4,999 ($80), and is exclusively available through e-commerce portal Flipkart.
On the specifications front, the phone sports a 4-inch IPS display with WVGA (480 x 800) screen resolution. Inside the handset sits a 1.2Ghz quad-core Snapdragon processor, coupled with 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of internal storage which can be expanded via microSD card. On the camera side, the phone comes with a 5-megapixel shooter at the back and a 0.3-megapixel snapper upfront. The phone packs in a 1,950mAh battery. On the connectivity options, the phone offers 3G and Wifi.
“We are pleased to add Iris Win1 – Windows powered device in our smartphone portfolio for consumers who are looking for Windows platform. Win1 will be exclusively launched on Flipkart. Our strong product offering coupled with Flipkart’s exceptional service, we are hopeful to delight our online customers.” said Navin Chawla, Vice President and Head-Product, Lava International Limited.
We now have two Windows Phone handsets in the country priced below Rs 5,000. The low price point is an important factor in countries like India where a vast majority of people use feature phones, and are looking for budget friendly handsets. With Rs 5,000 price tag, more people are bound to try out the device. The Lava Iris Win 1 will be available for purchase through Flipkart starting December 4th.
Further reading: India, Lava, Microsoft, Windows Phone, Windows Phone 8.1, Xolo
